


Ceto - V16 Class Hydrofoil

by thunderbird_dragon



Category: Thunderbirds, Thunderbirds are go!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 08:32:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12931521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thunderbird_dragon/pseuds/thunderbird_dragon
Summary: Gordon is suddenly totally preoccupied with a new obsession and it's worrying Scott, there's a rumour that he may have a new love in his life - a V16 Hydrofoil - so Scott needs to know.





	Ceto - V16 Class Hydrofoil

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still exploring my headcannon that Gordon has finally realised that he's never going to get anywhere with Lady P, so I thought he needed a new passion, a rather dangerous one that will worry the family. I don't write about Scott much, but am loving the patience and smother hen aspect of his character especially round the younger boys.  
> There is an illustration but I still don't know how to link it!

##  **_“CETO”_ **

“There you go Gordo!” The designer unveiled her work with such pride and stood back to watch his reaction.  She wasn’t disappointed - Gordon’s eyes had widened to the size of saucers, his expression one of total love – Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward had never had this much effect on him despite all her teasing – he ran a hand along the sleek body work, his fingers unable to detect the slightest blemish to take even a thousandth of a second from her future times.  

He smiled – oh yeah she was beautiful.

 

 

Whilst it was encouraging to see Gordon totally involved with a new obsession, it still worried Scott as to what had replaced his brother’s two year long preoccupation with getting Lady P to notice him.  In one way Scott was relieved that Gordon had moved on, there was no way that Lady P would ever have been a suitable long term partner for him.  They were just too different.  But a short relationship was only ever going to end in someone getting hurt – and Scott always knew which of them that would be.

Scott huffed loudly, if only he knew what was going on, Gordon had been so secretive of late, turning his screen away from prying eyes, absent from the island on flimsy excuses which didn’t hold up to scrutiny.

“A new girl?”  Virgil had suggested.

“A boy!”  John had chipped in with a grin.

“Ha, no, I bet it’s another foil!”  Joked Alan distractedly.

The others all stopped to look at him in unison

_A FOIL!_

Scott closed his eyes tight – another hydrofoil was right up there with his worst nightmares.  “What makes you say something dumb like that?”  He hadn’t meant the words to come out snappy but they had.

Alan suddenly became aware that his flippant remark had caused a stir, looking up he found them all looking stunned.  

What? 

Had they seriously all assumed that their foil-sailing-fanatic brother would just give up because of one accident – albeit a near fatal one.

“What?  I only said…”

 

Returning to the island well after two in the morning, Gordon tippy toed through the main room in stealth mode, even so something disturbed Scott dozing on the sofa.

“Hey, you’re in late!” There was no accusation in Scott’s tone, he just wanted a little reassurance.   “New girl in your life?”

Gordon grinned widely – ear to ear ecstatically – and initially Scott’s anxiety dropped, but it didn’t last long. He could see there was more to that cheeky smile than simple hormones.

Scott frowned, “You want to tell me what’s going on?”  He waited whilst Gordon considered his options – including all escape routes.  “Gordon, I just want to know you’re okay.  You’ve been preoccupied lately, it’s been worrying me.”  He came to stand close, watching the younger boys face for any clues as to his secret.  Gordon on the other hand turned sideways to his eldest brother, ready to dodge if Scott disapproved – and he was pretty sure he would disapprove.  

Was this the right time to tell the family?

“Okay.”  Scott’s frown deepened, he’d had a headache for a while now, additional concern only made it worse.  Well-practiced tactics were needed, Gordon could be tricky.  He opted for the guilt method, rubbing his temples to ease the pain, he added, “We’re all kind of worried, we think that you’re…”

“You’ve all been talking about me?”  It was working, Gordon looked aghast.  He knew this was going to be difficult, he hadn’t wanted to worry anyone but here was Scott in pain with worry.  “I.. well, I sorta… oh shit!”  He suddenly saw it clearly – Scott knew!  How wasn’t important, Scott had probably guessed, no! it was probably Alan, the kid had already hinted to Gordon that he had some inkling of what was going on.

Scott reached out a hand and pulled his brother into a hug.

“I just need to know, Gordo.” Scott rested his chin in the boy’s hair, “Dad would have known how to handle this, he would have said…”

“He’d have said ‘don’t you fucking dare!’ You know he would!  I put him through hell when I had my accident.  He’d never let me have another foil – that’s why I haven’t said anything!  Why I kept it a secret.”  Gordon’s voice trailed off, breaking with emotion. He knew the truth, this was going to worry them all but it was Scott that he had to deal with right then and there. 

But Scott knew how much Gordon’s accident had impacted on his life, the boy’s hopes and ambitions.  He’d had to give up all hope of ever returning to the Olympics, of another place in the America’s Cup, even his hoped-for career in WASP.  Everything had been torn away from him as the hydrofoil single hull lurched clear of the water and over, slicing it’s blade through the air and then making contact with its crew as they were thrown into the water, making the watching world remember why the authorities had banned the sport of hydrofoiling from the years between 2023-47.

It had taken over two years for Gordon to recover to the stage he was currently at.  His doctors had said he would never be as strong as he had once been, but he forced himself every day to prove them wrong.  Every day a punishing regime to build strengths in muscles and bones that had been wrecked, a regime that Scott knew only too well, he both admired Gordon’s fortitude and hated his need for it.

“Sorry.”  Was all Gordon could manage.  

Scott felt for him, he himself had never had to face giving up any of his dreams. There had never been anything for Scott but the sky, speed and a need to work in International Rescue alongside his dad since Scott could remember.  

“None of us have a right to tell you what you do or don’t do, Gordo.  I’m not going to stop you.  I don’t think I could even if I wanted to.  But you’ve got so much of your old self back, I’d just hate to see you lose it again.”  He’d released the boy out far enough for them to make eye contact, not that Gordon could face his brother yet.

“It’s just.  I sort of need to do this.”  Gordon offered, it was a pretty lame explanation but somehow Scott could understand it.  For a long while now,  Gordon had been sailing in the family’s skiff or in the gaff rigged cutter when he could convince someone else to crew with him. There wasn’t that buzz of speed in either.  How Gordon coped without that was a mystery to Scott.

Trying hard to understand and cause no rift that might never heal, Scott asked.  “How close is it to being ready?”  Hoping that perhaps the new foil was still in its early stages and with gentle persuasion and a distraction or two, Gordon would let it drop away as just a really bad idea.

“I’m starting sea trials tomorrow – rescues permitting.”  This time Gordon did look up and wished he hadn’t.  Scott’s torment was evident as he remembered the months of holding the boy’s hand in the hospital, watching the agony in his father’s face.  “Sorry.”  He whispered again.

Scott tried to rally his thoughts, “What are we talking about here?”

“She’s 16ft long, single hulled with a 14ft keeled foil…”

Scott pushed him out to arm’s length to look hard at him, “What?  I thought you were paying for some massive racing foil!”  His relief was evident, he’d honestly feared that Gordon had sponsored an Admiral’s Cup entry in the hope of getting a place in the crew.

Gordon felt the guilt hit him again.  “She is. Well, she’s not massive, but she is a racing foil.  V-16 class.”

It meant little to Scott, talk to him about aircraft engine capacities and he could join in the conversation until the cows came home, but yachts – not a chance.  Oh he knew how to sail, they all did, but obsessional interest? No, he’d leave that to this kid brother.

“Crew?”  Scott only knew the right sort of question to ask.

“A Skipper and a Helm.” Gordon half smiled.  “You could come with me tomorrow – rescues permitting. I’d really like it if you would.”

Scott watched his face, so full of curbed enthusiasm, so wanting to blurt out every little idiosyncrasy of his beautiful new love but holding it all in until he had his family’s approval.  He must have known right from the start that his father would never have given that approval, but still he needed to do this thing.  He needed to be back out on the water, not just in it - but on it.  Gain back one more shattered section of his dreams.

A little 16 footer – a small step for someone like Gordon who had always gone for broke in everything he’d aimed at before.

A little 16 footer – what harm could that do?  Scott shuddered as his imagination filled in the answer that question.

But a little 16 footer…

“What’s she called?” 

“Ceto.”  Gordon watched his brother’s face for recognition.  Ceto, a sea monster of Greek mythology, personification of the dangers of the sea itself!  Trust Gordon to chose a name that reflected the havoc she represented.  Yes, Scott knew the name and sucked in a breath urgently to steady himself.

“Okay, maybe you might reconsider that name?”  Scott wrapped an arm around his brother’s shoulders, “Yeah, perhaps we could work on something a little less…. worrying?”  He winked at Gordon, “For your Grandma’s sake if not for mine!”

Yes, he’d helm for Gordon on the sea trials, that way he’d be better placed to judge just how much he needed to worry each time Gordon took her out.  

Suddenly a stormy, imbalanced relationship with Lady Penelope seemed a much better option but that was in the past – Ceto in all her glory was coming to the Island and whatever the outcome, no-one had the right to stop Gordon for bringing her.

 

 


End file.
